Health
Journalists Want End To Violence Against Women
As part of events marking the 2021 International Women’s Day (IWD), the Network of Reproductive Health Journalists of Nigeria (NRHJN) has called for an end to cultural stereotypes, biases and other forms of inequalities that prevent women and girls from accessing the full potentials of their sexual reproductive health rights in Nigeria.
A statement by the Network decried the incessant cases of sexual harassment, rape, abduction and other forms of assault on women and school girls, especially by bandits and insurgents in the Northern part of Nigeria, the enslaving of girls for child labour and trafficking in the Southern part of the country.
Signed by , the President and Secretary of the Network,Yinka Shokunbi and Sekinat Lawal respectively, the statement described all forms of gender-based violence in the country as constant sources of harm and threats that continue to limit the potentials of girls and women in Nigeria.
While urging government at all levels and all stakeholders to do more to protect the sexual reproductive health rights of all Nigerians, especially women and girls, from predators, the Network also called for all States in the country to pass the VAPP Act, Child’s Right Act and give access to justice and equity in all forms of gender-based violations.
According to the statement, “already, there is evidence that pregnancies that are too early, too close, too late or too many carry extra hazards not only for the health of the woman but also for the child.
“Therefore, the availability and access to family planning services to all women in safe and secured environment at all times and not limited to access to choice of medical protection, will ensure women can protect themselves against unwanted pregnancies and achieve full potentials of Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights at all times”, it stated.
The NRHJN further charged every proactive government to embrace the scaling up of family planning services as one of the maternal survival strategies.
“Although it is incontrovertible that family planning is a life saver for women and children, the current 17 per cent contraceptive prevalence rate (CPR) is poor (2018 NDHS).
“Consequently, achieving the new goal to increase the modern contraceptive prevalent rate (mCPR) to 27 per cent as part of Nigeria’s family planning 2020 commitment, should be a priority”, the statement said.
The Network noted that the unmet need for contraception among married women within the ages of 15 to 49 years in the country, which was put at 23.06 per cent in 2018 by the World Bank development indicators, is unacceptable.
Noting that women with unmet needs are those who are sexually active but not using any method of contraception and not wanting any more children or wanting to delay the next child, the NRHJN calls for improved health budget and timely releases of the funds as well as spending for purposes meant, to pave the way for regular availability of family planning commodities and needed consumables.
The group also argues for inclusion of access to sexual reproductive health services such as the provision of ramps in all hospital buildings and facilities, as well as the provision of sign language in public places to facilitate inclusion and access to care for all.
The NRHJN also called for gender equality and equity in all areas of human endeavour to promote the realisation of women’s rights in various spheres, including education, health, poverty alleviation, political and economic empowerment.
By: Sogbeba Dokubo
Two United States scientists who unraveled the human micro RNA have won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine 2024.
Victor Ambros and Gary Ruvkun won the coveted prize for their work on microRNA as their discoveries help explain how complex life emerged on earth and how the human body is made up of a wide variety of different tissues.
MicroRNAs influence how genes – the instructions for life – are controlled inside organisms, including humans.
Every cell in the human body contains the same raw genetic information, locked in our DNA.
However, despite starting with the identical genetic information, the cells of the human body are wildly different in form and function.
The electrical impulses of nerve cells are distinct from the rhythmic beating of heart cells. The metabolic powerhouse that is a liver cell is distinct to a kidney cell, which filters urea out of the blood.
The light-sensing abilities of cells in the retina are different in skillset to white blood cells that produce antibodies to fight infection.
So much variety can arise from the same starting material because of gene expression.
The US scientists were the first to discover microRNAs and how they exerted control on how genes are expressed differently in different tissues.
The medicine and physiology prize winners are selected by the Nobel Assembly of Sweden’s Karolinska Institute.
They said: “Their groundbreaking discovery revealed a completely new principle of gene regulation that turned out to be essential for multicellular organisms, including humans.
“It is now known that the human genome codes for over 1,000 microRNAs.”
The World Health Organisation (WHO) has begun acting to curb effects of antibiotic pollution.
The new guidance on wastewater and solid waste management for antibiotic manufacturing sheds light on this important but neglected challenge ahead of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) High-Level Meeting on antimicrobial resistance (AMR) taking place on 26 September 2024.
The emergence and spread of AMR caused by antibiotic pollution could undermine the effectiveness of antibiotics globally, including the medicines produced at the manufacturing sites responsible for the pollution.
Despite high antibiotic pollution levels being widely documented, the issue is largely unregulated and quality assurance criteria typically do not address environmental emissions. In addition, once distributed, there is a lack of information provided to consumers on how to dispose of antibiotics when they are not used, for example, when they expire or when a course is finished but there is still antibiotic left over.
“Pharmaceutical waste from antibiotic manufacturing can facilitate the emergence of new drug-resistant bacteria, which can spread globally and threaten our health. Controlling pollution from antibiotic production contributes to keeping these life-saving medicines effective for everyone,” said Dr Yukiko Nakatani, WHO Assistant Director-General for AMR ad interim.
Globally, there is a lack of accessible information on the environmental damage caused by manufacturing of medicines.
“The guidance provides an independent and impartial scientific basis for regulators, procurers, inspectors, and industry themselves to include robust antibiotic pollution control in their standards,” said Dr Maria Neira, Director, Department of Environment, Climate Change and Health, WHO. “Critically, the strong focus on transparency will equip buyers, investors and the general public to make decisions that account for manufacturers’ efforts to control antibiotic pollution.”
In a concerted effort to curb brain drain, the Kebbi State Government has harmonised medical doctors’ salaries to be at par with their colleagues in the federal government’s tertiary health facilities.
Kebbi State Commissioner for Health, Musa Inusa-Isma’il, disclosed this at the handing over of ambulances to the state-owned health facilities at the Ministry of Health in Birnin Kebbi yesterday.
Inusa Isma’il, according to a statement by Ahmed Idris, the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, said the essence of the harmonisation was to retain the existing medical doctors and attract more to the services of the state.
According to him, the doctors across the state had already started enjoying the new salaries from August 2024.
He said the release of the vehicles was in fulfilment of Governor Nasir Idris’ promise to uplift health care services in the state.
“His Excellency said I should inform you, the beneficiaries of this gesture, that the vehicle should be strictly used for the intended purpose. It should not be used for anything else.
“If there is no referral case, each of the vehicles must be parked at the hospital by 6 pm. The governor said you should warn your drivers against reckless driving as well as violating the instructions.
“We should also do everything possible to reciprocate the gesture by working according to the terms and conditions attached,” he advised.
The benefiting health facilities included Sir Yahaya Memorial Hospital, Birnin Kebbi; State Teaching Hospital, Kalgo; General Hospital, Argungu; General Hospital, Yauri; General Hospital, Zuru; and General Hospital, Bunza.
In his speech, the permanent secretary of the ministry, Dr Shehu Koko, recalled that the ambulances were handed over to the ministry last Friday by the governor for the onward handover to the benefiting hospitals.
He observed that the ambulances would go a long way in improving the referral system in the state, adding that delays in reaching the secondary and tertiary facilities would be eliminated.
The permanent secretary attributed the high rate of maternal mortality in the country to delays in getting to the health facilities for proper medical care.
“We believe with the provision of these ambulances, part of the gaps we have in our referral system will be addressed, whereby patients who require secondary healthcare could be easily transported to secondary and tertiary health centres, where they can get such help,” he said.
In a goodwill message, Commissioner for Information and Culture Alhaji Yakubu Ahmed expressed gratitude to the governor for the support he has given to the ministry to excel.
While advising the beneficiaries to use the vehicles judiciously, the commissioner advised that services and maintenance of the vehicles must be prompt to derive the maximum benefits from the vehicles.
The commissioner also highlighted some achievements recorded by the government in the last year, including beautification of the state capital, completion of a multimillion-naira ultramodern state secretariat, road construction, construction and renovation of classrooms and upgrading of some health facilities, among others.